Welsh Gold is a beautiful and very rare metal indeed. So rare in fact, that it has been known to cost over £3000 per ounce to extract and is worth more than platinum. Welsh Gold has been extracted from two notable mines that are found in the region of the Snowdonia Gold Belt which covers a vast area from mid-Wales to north Wales, namely the Gwynfynydd Welsh Gold Mine and the Clogau Mine, which are also known as 'Mines Royal'. A licence is granted by the Crown to would-be licencees so that they can work and prospect in and around any of these localities, and of course, a 'royalty' is paid to the Crown for this privilege for any gold that is produced.

Since Celtic times man has sought Welsh Gold in the Snowdonia mountains to fashion into jewellery. Celtic Chieftains wore heavy gold torc collars to denote their rank and status. Royalty themselves have often been the wearers of this unique precious metal and many of our modern Royal family wear wedding rings fashioned in Welsh Gold. The latest of these were used at the Wedding of Prince Edward to Sophie Rhys-Jones. More recently, Hollywood celebrities have fallen under the spell of Welsh gold and used it for their own unique Wedding Rings.

The Welsh Gold used in all of our products is from the last remaining stocks of gold mined from the Gwynfynydd Mine, Dolgellau, when under the control of Sir Mark Weinberg. At this time enough gold was mined for a one kilogram bar of pure Welsh Gold, and was presented to the Queen for use in future Royal Wedding rings. The mine, the last of the producing Welsh gold mines closed in 1999, making the remaining stocks that we hold, even more precious.

Pure Welsh Gold is the world's most valuable precious metal and the Official price is 3 times that of the London Metal Bullion price. Welsh gold has been especially prized as a jewellery metal for centuries and dates back to the days of the Celtic kingdoms when nobles wore gold torcs as a badge of rank and power. The Royal family, in an echo of that ancient tradition, wear wedding rings of Welsh gold. Every one of our special jewellery designs is a masterpiece of the goldsmith's art, destined to be treasured for generations to come.

The following is a statement from Wardell Armstrong, the Crown Estate Agents, who are responsible for managing Crown assets both in Britain and abroad:

"Mines Royal, that is gold and silver, are vested in the Crown. This means that for commercial exploration or extraction to be undertaken respectively a licence or lease is required from the Crown Estate prior to commencement of such activity. The licence or lease covers a specific area for a specified duration and sets out the obligations of the Crown Estate and the licensee or lessee. Such obligations extend to the proper accounting for all Mines Royal extracted and sold. The Crown Estate does not, however, convey any rights of access onto the land."